5. Ricky Glaser | Chasing the Pro Skateboarding Dream

The Braille Drop with Aaron Kyro

Listen folks, this episode starts off the rails with a claim that "bowling is the dumbest sport ever and Ricky Glaser mastered it in just 30 minutes", but we quickly get things on track, so like, don't even worry about it...

The heart of the episode revolves around Ricky's personal journey in skateboarding. From his initial aspirations to his eventual professional status, he reflects on how turning pro affected—or didn't particularly transform—his life. Ricky and Aaron Kyro discuss the evolving skate culture and how gatekeeping has changed as social media provides more accessible entry points for newcomers to the skateboarding community.

Taking a broader view, we explore the topic of skateboarding's inclusion in the Olympics. Ricky offers his perspective on whether this move aligns with the essence of the sport (wait, is it a sport or an art? A child's plaything?) and discusses potential impacts on its future. Shifting focus to the digital realm, we touch on Ricky's experience with handling negativity in YouTube comments, offering a glimpse into the challenges of dealing (or not) with online criticism.

Okay I guess this episode ends off the rails too because there's talk of AI world domination but like, just don't worry about that either. It's all good.

Sponsors:

Audible: Get a free 30 day trial of Audible Premium Plus and receive a free audiobook that's yours to keep!Braille Army+: Join Braille Skateboarding's membership platform and get 1:1 help from Aaron Kyro

Links:

Watch the video version on YouTube! (Coming 8/14 at 5pm EST)

Ricky Glaser's YouTube Channel

Theme song: Show Introduction by The Soul Surfers